What Itenas is today certainly cannot be separated from the role of its founders, the late Ir. Mansoer Wiratmadja along with Darmawan, S.H., and Ir. Soetjiati Boenarto, who had a noble aspiration to establish Atenas which later became Itenas in 1972. To develop fondness, you have to know someone better. So, this is the story of one of the founding fathers of Itenas.

Mr. Ir. Mansoer Wiratmadja bin Adnin Wiratmadja, born in Ciomas, South Sukabumi on February 1, 1923, is a graduate of the Civil Engineering Department in ITB in 1975 and became one of the academic members of the Civil Engineering Department in ITB from 1975. He founded a consulting firm named Gabungan Tenaga Insinyur (Gateni), or Association of Engineers, in 1950 focusing on engineering consultants. However, the soul of an educator which was deeply ingrained in his blood as he came from a family which has a long-standing tradition in education led him to realize his lofty purpose namely Itenas, an institution aiming to educate tough, intelligent, and honest as well as honorable engineers who are needed in Indonesia at that time.

He actively promoted education by teaching and establishing various organizations focusing on education, sport, and technology adorned his young age. The young Mr. Mansoer was very active in Persatuan Mahasiswa Bandung (PMB), or Bandung Student Association, and became one of SMA PMB’s founders. During the Indonesian war of independence, he fled to Yogyakarta and continued to quench his thirst for teaching there. While in the refuge, he married the late Rochiat Mansoer Wiratmadja who was a student at the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia at that time.

During his time serving as the Director of Itenas, Mr. Mansoer was known by the students, lecturers, and employees as a humble, diligent, and friendly as well as firm person.

His deep love for Itenas he built was reflected by the way he became a role model for lecturers and employees in Itenas. He came earlier, traced every campus building, as well as observed every teaching activity to ensure everything was going well. While doing so, he paid attention to plants, cared, and even watered them. He was happy when the employees in the garden know every name of plants in Itenas. He often greeted and conversed with lecturers, especially those whom he knew the name of. All of those made Itenas employees remember him as a modest, humble, and fatherly figure behind his figure as a director as well as a strict and disciplined lecturer.

He was always grateful and told his family and lecturers everything related to the development of Itenas from time to time as if bringing on everyone to love and care for Itenas. He even taught his children to get involved in managing Itenas, from basic jobs such as serving as administration clerks and supervising exams, to doing administrative jobs. This fosters an attitude in his family that Itenas is not just an inheritance, but also a trust that must be managed professionally.

Until the last breath before he died, on February 9, 1995, he always told his family as well as Itenas lecturers, employees, and even students: “I entrust Itenas.”